Merchandise Spotlight-Leatherman Tool (664 words)

In 1996, the Leatherman Tool Group posted sales of $91 million and the gadget is sold in 50 countries around the world. A huge amount of Leatherman's time is spent suing imitators. In 1997, Leather sued the $5 billion a year tool maker Cooper Industries for violation of his patented design, and a federal jury awarded him $4.5 million in punitive damages and $50,000 in compensatory damages.